On 80th anniversary of its surrender, Japan should change its course, China strongly deplores Japanese politicians’ visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, lodges serious protests with the Japanese side

 

People mourn at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province on April 4, 2025. Photos: VCG

August 15 marks the 80th anniversary of Japan's unconditional surrender in World War II. On what should have been a solemn occasion for deep reflection on history, some members of Japan's cabinet and lawmakers from the Liberal Democratic Party visited the Yasukuni Shrine, where Class-A war criminals are enshrined, disregarding Japan's responsibility for wartime aggression and the facts of its invasion, and perpetuating the historical revisionist course of Japanese politics. 

Behind this vague and ambiguous official stance lies a deeper social ailment: a selective amnesia and systematic revision of the history of militarism in Japanese society. Rather than reflecting on history, Japan on this day was, under the combined forces of political maneuvering and societal amnesia, once again missing the precious opportunity to shed its historical burden and rebuild mutual trust with its Asian neighbors.

Japan's ambiguity on historical issues is by no means accidental. Due to its incomplete postwar reckoning and serious lack of introspection, Japan has never truly come to terms with its history of aggression and war crimes. Especially since the end of the Cold War, with the advance of political conservatism and rightward shift in the country, Japan - under the strategy of becoming a "normal country" by "escaping from the postwar regime" - has seen historical revisionism flourish. This is not merely reflected in politicians' verbal gaffes or visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, but in the systematical wrong shaping and distortion of national memory, particularly among younger generations. A recent visit by Global Times reporters found that in Iida City of Nagano, Japan, students studied daily next to the peace memorial museum that has long exhibited physical evidence of Unit 731's human experiments, yet were entirely unaware of its existence. In Tokyo, young people regarded Yasukuni Shrine as an ordinary shrine, having no concept of the Class-A war criminals enshrined there or its symbolism as a relic of militarism.

Even more dangerously, Japan's wrong view of history is directly transforming into perilous foreign policy, especially toward China. The Ishiba administration's ambiguity and retreat on the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender echoed dangerously with its recent series of negative moves concerning China. 

The Defense of Japan 2025 white paper hypes up the so-called "China threat," using it as a pretext to dramatically increase defense spending and develop offensive weapons, shifting its military strategy from "exclusive defense" toward so-called "aggressive posture." On the Taiwan question, Japan has repeatedly crossed the line, sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" forces, in serious violation of the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan. Behind such actions lies a disregard for the postwar international order, rooted in the deliberate neglect of the fact - stipulated in international legal documents such as the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation - that Japan must return Taiwan island, which it had stolen from China.

Japan's current negative policy toward China goes hand in hand with its historical revisionism. Domestically, it distorts history to create a "China threat" narrative, thereby paving the way for loosening military constraints. Internationally, it uses pretexts such as a potential "Taiwan contingency" to promote military expansion and divert attention from domestic problems. Such strategic judgments, rooted in a mistaken view of history, are pushing China-Japan relations into a dangerous situation and posing serious challenges to regional peace and stability. In response to Japan's obstinacy on historical issues, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's words hit the nail on the head: "Only by facing history squarely can respect be earned; only by drawing lessons from history can a better future be explored; only by remembering the past can straying onto the wrong path again be avoided." This is not only China's demand, but also the only path for Japan to achieve self-redemption.

At the critical historical juncture, the international community has a responsibility to urge Japan to deeply reflect on its history and reassess its policy orientation toward China. First, the Japanese government and its leaders must show political courage and make a clear break with historical revisionism. The acknowledgment of the facts of aggression and responsibility for harm, as stated in the "Murayama Statement" in 1995, is the prerequisite for Japan's reconciliation with Asian neighbors and the key to gain credibility in the international community.

Second, the truth of history must be respected, and historical memory must not be eroded. Regarding egregious acts such as outright denial of the Nanjing Massacre, the Japanese government must take a clear stance and act accordingly. Only through honest and in-depth discussion of its "responsibility for harm" can Japanese society truly learn the lessons of history and prevent the tragedy of war from recurring.

Finally, Japan must reflect on its history in its foreign policy, stop hyping the "China threat," and abandon its beggar-thy-neighbor military expansion. On major issues concerning China's core interests and the postwar international order, such as the Taiwan question, Japan must honor its commitments and act with caution. Japan's national security cannot be built on distorted history and military confrontation, but only on mutual trust and cooperation with its neighbors.

Japan's understanding of history concerns not only its own national future but also the future of East Asia. If Japan wants the future generation to be "free from predestined apology," the country must first turn back from the erroneous path of historical revisionism - 

Global Times editorial

China strongly deplores Japanese politicians’ visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, lodges serious protests with the Japanese side: FM spokesperson

Chinese Foreign Ministry

China strongly deplores Japanese politicians' visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which challenge historical justice and human conscience, and has lodged stern protests with the Japanese side, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Saturday in response to Japanese politicians paying respects to the Yasukuni Shrine on Friday.

Friday marks the day of Japan's unconditional surrender in the Second World War, but Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba sent a ritual offering to the Yasukuni Shrine, and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi, Minister of Finance Katsunobu Kato and rightwing politicians including Takayuki Kobayashi and Koichi Hagiuda visited the Shrine.

Commenting on the Japanese politicians' visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson pointed out that the Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarists' war of aggression against foreign nations. The shrine honors 14 convicted Class-A war criminals who bear grave responsibilities for the war crimes committed during that war of aggression.

We urge Japan to face squarely and reflect on its history of aggression, be prudent on historical issues such as the Yasukuni Shrine, make a clean break with militarism, stick to the path of peaceful development, and earn the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community through real actions, the spokesperson said.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. To view and treat history correctly is an important prerequisite for Japan's post-war return to the international community. It is the political foundation of Japan's relations with neighboring countries, and more importantly, a yardstick for Japan's commitment to peaceful development, the spokesperson noted.